Releasable anchor



Feb. 20, 1962 R. SWA l LS RELEASABLE ANCHOR Filed Aug. 5. 1959 F|G.3 /Z

ROY SWAlLS INVENTOR.

/yw W ATTORNEY '4 tees This invention relates generally to releasable anchors for marine craft.

The object and general nature of this invention is the provision of new and improved means for releasing the anchor if one or more of the anchor arms should become fast under an obstruction, such as a submerged tree trunk, rock, or the like, or embedded in trash, roots or the like, so that to pull the anchor up directly in the normal way might impose undesirable stresses on the anchor cable, the craft, or the operator, or be otherwise diflicult or impossible to effect. a I

Specifically, it is an important feature of my invention to provide a releasable anchor wherein the pivoted anchor arms are normally held securely in extended or operative position by locking means that not only holds the arms locked but, in addition so snugly and completely embraces the arms that they are substantially held against objectionable deflection in a plurality of directions. More particularly, according to this invention, the arms are formed at their inner or pivoted ends with extensions adjacent the shank of the anchor, and the locking means is provided Thus, the force necessary to free the anchor arms when the anchor becomes fouled is supplied by the spring means: In addition, means is proand not by the release line. vided whereby the locking member may readily be reset against the rather appreciable force of the tension spring means.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent after a consideration of the accom-- panying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the anchor, showing the same in extended or operative position.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side view of the anchor with certain parts broken away to show the construction of the locking bell member.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3--3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary bottom view, taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view, taken along the line 5--5 of FIG. 2, showing the embracing relation between the locking member and the lugs or extensions on the anchor arms.

My new and improved anchor comprises a shank preferably square in cross section and formed at its upper end with an eye 11 receiving the anchor cable 12 fastened thereto in any suitable way. The lower end of the shank 10, which is substantially uniform in cross section generally from end to end, is formed with a relatively long tapped opening 15 extending'axially of the shank and receiving a stud bolt 16 that rigidly fastens an arm'support 17, preferably in the form of a casting, to the lower end of the shank 10. The support 17 has a central recess 13 that is square in configuration and receives the lower end of the shank 16 whereby when the bolt 16 is tigh:

2 ened the support 17 cannot rotate out of position relative to the shank.

The base or support 17 is provided with four pairs of lugs 18 apertured, as at 19, to receive pivots 21 on which the inner end portions of four anchor arms 22 are swingably mounted. The outer ends of the arms 22 are provided with flukes 23 and the ends of the arms 22 are curved upwardly, as best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The

inner or pivoted end portions of the arms 22 have short arm extensions 26 lying generally at right angles to the adjacent portions of the arms 22. The arm support 17 is apertured centrally to receive the stud bolt 16.

The arm ends or extensions are adapted to be engaged by a locking'bell or sleeve 30 that it slidably disposed in a position just above the base or support 17,

being shiftable along the shank 10. The sleeve or bell' '36 has lower extended sections 31 that, as best shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, snugly embrace the arm ends 26. As best shown in FIG. 3, the bell portions 31 form a cruciform section that provide four arm-receiving sockets 33, each having three walls 34, 35 and 36 embracing the arm ends 26 on three sides, as will be clear from FIG. 5.

The upper tubular section of the locking bell 30 is indicated at 38 and has a through opening 39 that is square in cross section so as to slidably receive the shank 10.

The locking member 30 is biased for movement out of arm-locking position by a tension spring 49 that encircles the shank 10 above the locking member 30. The upper end of the spring 40 is turned inwardly, as at 42, FIG. 2, and enters an opening 43 formed in the shank 10 to receive the end 42. This connectsthe upper end of the spring 40 to the shank 10. The upper end of the bell portion 33 is shaped helically, as at 45 to receive the lower end of the spring 46, and the lower end of the latter is fixed to the bell 30 by a pair of clips 4-8 fixed to the bell by cap screws 49 or other suitable means.

The spring 40 is of substantial strength and exerts sufficient force to raise the bell 30 out of its arm-locking position, even though the arms 22 are subjected to considerable strain, but normally the bell 30 is retained in armlocking position by latch means 5%. The latter comprises a detent 51 slidable in an opening in the tubular section 38 of the bell 3t) and adapted to enter an opening 52 in the lower portion of the shank 10. The detent 51 is biased to enter the opening 52 by a tension spring 53 anchored at one end to the bell 30 by a clip 54 at the other end to the eye of the detent 51.

The detent 51 and associated parts are protected by being disposed within an enclosing housing 57 having a hood section 58 and flanges 59 that are apertured to receive attaching cap screws 61. The housing 57 carries a sheave 64 and a control line 65, preferably, a wire cable of suitable size, extends through a guide bushing 66 and over the sheave 64 to a point of connection with the eye of the detent 51. The upper part of the cable 65 extends upwardly through an enlarged opening 67 in a guide plate 68. The latter fits over the shank 10, having a square opening 69 to receive the shank 10, and is held in place by the upper end of the spring 40 at one side of the plate 68 and a cotter 72 at the other side. Above the plate 68 the cable may receive a rope 73.

While I have described the preferred form of my invention, it will be understood that my invention is not to be limited to the particular means shown and described above.

The operation of the preferred form of my invention is substantially as follows.

If one or more of the arms should become fouled or fast under a rock, tree trunk, or the like and the anchor cannot be raised, all that the operator has to do is to pull on the: upper end of the line 73 and release the latch I indicated in dotted lines in FIG. 2.

After the anchor is pulled awaytrorn the obstruction it is then lifted to the boat. The anchor arms may then be relocked in extended position by extending the arms and then forcing the bell 30 downwardly against the bias of the spring 40 until the latch plunger 51 reenters the opening 52. The extended portions 31, the interior of which forms the arm engaging sockets 33, may be used upon which to place the foot so that considerable force may easily be exerted to press the locking bell member downwardly. The spring 40 may readily be replaced, if required, by removing the cotter 72 and stripping off the guide plate 68. The clips 48 may then be removed and the spring 40 taken oil by springing theend 42 out of the shank hole 43 and then slipping the spring oh? the upper end of the shank. If desired, the joint between theline 73' and cable 65 may be located beyond the outer or upper end of the shank eye 11.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An anchor comprising a shank, a support at the lower end of the shank and providing a plurality of pairs of outwardly extending apertured lugs, pivot means carried by each pair of lugs and disposed in the associated apertures, a plurality of anchor arms swingably mounted on each pivot means and each arm including an upwardly disposed extension lying alongside the adjacent portion of the shank when the arms are in their normal extended position, each arm extension having generally flat opposite sides, a locking member slidable along said shank above said support and including socket portions, each including means shaped to snugly embrace the associated arm extension at opposite sides of each arm extension, biased means connected to raise said locking member out of locking engagement with said arm extensions, and latch means connected to hold the locking member in locked position about said arm extension against the action of said biased means.

2. An anchor as defined in claim 1, further characterized by said locking member having an upper tubular portion slidably but non-rotatably disposed about said shank above said arms and said support and a lower portion extending generally radially outwardly and integrally joining said socket portions.

3. An anchor comprising a shank, a support at the lower end of the shank and providing a plurality of pairs.

of apertured lugs, pivot means extending through the apertures of each pair of lugs, a plurality of anchor arms swingably mounted on each pivot means and each arm including an upwardly disposed extension, a locking member slidable on said shank above said support and including portions shaped to embrace the upper portions of said arm extensions so as to hold the arms locked in their extended position, tension spring means connected at one end with the locking member and at its other end con-. nected to the upper part of said shank, whereby said spring is adapted to pull said locking member away from said arm extensions, and releasable latch means acting to releasably hold said locking member in locking position.

4. An anchor comprising a shank, an arm support at the lower end of the shank and providing a plurality of pairs of outwardly extending apertured lugs, a pivot carried by each pair of lugs and disposed in the associated apertures, a plurality of anchor arms swingably mounted on each pivot between the associated lugs and each arm including an upwardly disposed extension lying alongside the adjacent portion of the shank when the arms are in their extended position, a locking member slidable along the shank above the arm support and including means engaging said arm extensions toholdthearms locked in extended position, said extension-engaging means including a separate socket section for each extension engaging the latter on a plurality of sides thereof so as to restrain the extension against twisting therein, spring means connected at its upper end to the upper portion of the shank and at its lower end to said locking member and acting to bias the locking member for movement upwardly out of arm-locking position, latch means carried by one of said shank and locking member and engageable with the other for releasably holding the locking member in locking position, said spring means acting when said latch means is released to shift said member upwardly out of locking position and free said arms to swing downwardly into anchor-releasing position, and outwardly extending means on said locking member adapted to receive the foot or" the operator whereby he may readily push downwardly on thelocking member to shift the latter against the bias otsaid spring means into arm -locking position, said footreceiving means comprising radially outwardly extendingseparated portions extending radially outwardly from the main body of the locking member.

5. The invention set forth in claim 4, further characterized by said outwardly extending foot-receiving means having interior sockets to receive said arm extensions, each socket having three walls to snugly receive three sides of the associated arm extension so as to hold the arm extension against turning in the socket.

6. An anchor comprising a shank, a support at the lower end of the shank, a plurality of anchor arms pivotally connected with said support, a locking member slidable along said shank and engageable with said anchor arms, spring means carried by said shank and acting between said shank and locking member, means releasably connecting the upper end of said spring with said shank, and means releasably connecting said support with the lower end of said shank, whereby said support may be released from the lower end of the shank and thereby accommodate the removal of said locking member and said spring from the lower end of the shank.

7. An anchor comprising a shank polygonal in cross section, a support fixed to the lower end of said shank, a plurality of anchor arms pivoted at separate points to said support and each having an arm extension adapted to extend alongthe shank when the anchor arms are extended, a locking member having a polygonal opening slidably engaging said shank and shiftable toward and away from said support, said locking member having a plurality of spaced apart sockets each shaped to engage the associated arm extension in embracing fashion, and means securing said locking member in looking position, said means being releasable.

8. An anchor comprising a shank, a support fixed to the lower end of the shank and held thereby against rotation relative to the shank about the longitudinal axis of the latter, a plurality of anchor arms pivoted at separate points to said support and each arm having an arm extension adapted to extend along the shank when the anchor arm is extended, a locking member slidable along but nonrotatable relative to said shank, said locking member having a plurality of spaced apart sockets each shaped to engage the associated arm extension in embracing relation, and releasable means securing said locking member in locking position.

9. An anchor as defined in claim 8, further characterized by each of said sockets being generally rectangular and the end portions of said arm extensions being of corresponding configuration.

10. An anchor comprising a shank having a lower noncircular end, an anchor arm support having a generally central socket of non-circular configuration corresponding to the lower end of said shank, whereby when the latter is seated in said socket the support is held in non rotatable relation relativeto said shank, means holding the lower end of said shank in said socket, a plurality of anchor arms pivoted tosaid support and having generally upwardly extending arm extensions, and a locking member slidable along said shank in non-rotatable relation and having a plurality of separate sockets, each adapted to receive and retain the upwardly extending arm extension of the associated anchor arm.

11. An anchor as defined in claim 10, further characterized by the means holding the lower end of said shank in the socket of said support being releasable, whereby by removing said support from said shank the locking member may he slid off the lower end of said shank,

References Cited in the file of this iatent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

